Fatwa ID: 08663

 

 

Answered by: Maulana Nuski Cassim

 

Question:

 

I am seeking a Hanafi fatwa regarding the status of my marriage to my first wife.

 

Over the course of our marriage, I issued three separate divorces to my first wife:

 

1. First was given in writing.
2. Second was sent via WhatsApp.
3. Third was verbal, during anger — however, I was fully aware and in control of what I was saying.

 

After the third divorce, my first wife consulted an imam and narrated what had happened, I was later added to the call, the imam told me the third ṭalāq didn’t count due to anger and that we could continue our marriage. Based on this advice, I resumed marital relations with my first wife without performing a new nikah.

 

Later, I learned that under Hanafi Fiqh, three separate divorces like this constitute an irrevocable divorce. I am now married to a second wife, who brought this to my attention and expressed concern that I may have been living in sin with my first wife.

 

Given these details, is the marriage with my first wife valid, or did the three divorces permanently end that marriage? What should I do going forward?

 

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

In Hanafi Fiqh, the pronouncement of divorce given in anger—wherein a person is cognizant and in control of what they are saying—falls through and is ruled as an official pronouncement of divorce.[1]

 

What the respective Imam had told you over the phone concerning the third talaq and it not counting is incorrect.

 

It is true that in Hanafi Fiqh three separate divorces like the instances mentioned in your query constitutes an irrevocable divorce. Thus, your second wife is correct, and you are presently living in sin.[2]

 

The marriage to your first wife is not valid and the three instances of talaq that were given to her have permanently ended the marriage.

 

With that said, you are to explain this to your first wife, and in addition to this, the two of you are to go your own separate ways. Lastly, you are advised to make sincere repentance to Allah ﷻ for the time spent in haram—though you are not blameworthy.[3]

 

 

 

References:

 

1.

والثاني قال: إنّ قوْله: خَلَّيْتُ في حال الْغضب وفي حال مذاكرة الطّلاق يكون طلاقًا حتّى لا يُديّنَ في قوْله إنّه ما أراد به الطّلاق

 

[بدائع الصنائع، كتاب الطلاق، ج. ٣، صفحة ١٠٢، دار الكتب العلمية]

 

 

ويقع طلاق كل زوج عاقل بالغ مسْتيْقِظ.

 

وطلاق الْمُكْرَه واقع، وطلاق السَّكْران واقع، ويقع طلاق الْأخْرَس بالإشارة، وكذلك اللَاعب بالطلاق والْهازل به،

 

 

[الاختيار لتعليل المختار، كتاب الطلاق، ج. ٣، صفحة ١٢٤، دار الكتب العلمية]

 

 

2.

فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا فَلَا تَحِلُّ لَهُۥ مِنۢ بَعۡدُ حَتَّىٰ تَنكِحَ زَوۡجًا غَيۡرَهُۥۗ فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡهِمَآ أَن يَتَرَاجَعَآ إِن ظَنَّآ أَن يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَتِلۡكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ يُبَيِّنُهَا لِقَوۡمٖ يَعۡلَمُونَ

 

[سورة البقرة، رقم الآية: ٢٣٠]

 

 

3.

 

من أفتى الناس بغير علم كان إثمه على من أفتاه

 

[مستدرك الحاكم، رقم الحديث ٤٣٦]

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Nuski Cassim

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham